
Life insurance is a contract between an individual and an insurance company that pays a stated amount of money if the covered person passes away during the term of the policy. When you purchase life insurance, you must go through several underwriting procedures including filling out an application and submitting to a physical exam. One risk underwriters look out for is what is called moral hazards.
Definition
Moral hazard means the likelihood that a client's behavior will change as a result of purchasing a life insurance policy and that change will increase the chance of a loss. Life insurance companies look to ensure that the act of purchasing life insurance does not make it more likely for someone to end their own life or the life of another.
Finances

The phrase "worth more dead than alive" is a reference to how a person's finances can create a moral hazard. If an insurance company allows an individual to purchase much more insurance than his income, the individual becomes a greater moral hazard. Insurance companies try to determine if someone is in or about to go through bankruptcy. An applicant's financial situation plays a large part in underwriting and determining the potential of a moral hazard being created by offering a policy or too large a policy. Insurance companies place strict limits on what percentage of income an individual can purchase life insurance for and have underwriting guidelines to review if the applicant is in poor financial condition.
Ownership
The owner of a life insurance policy is the only person with the ability to make changes, including the beneficiary and amount of the policy. The ownership of a life insurance policy is important to the review and can easily result in a moral hazard. Typically, someone must have an insurable interest in another person to buy life insurance on that person. This means the person buying the policy would have to sustain a financial loss if the insured were to pass away. Spouses, parents and children fall into this category of need because of the financial burden their death can cause. However, you cannot purchase life insurance on a random person and be the owner of the policy. It typically is best for the insured also to be the owner as long as that person is an adult.
Mental State

Insurance companies also review through underwriting questions and medical history whether someone is in a safe mental state to purchase life insurance. If someone has been treated recently or frequently for depression, bipolar disorder or several other mental ailments, the insurance company might deny coverage.
References
- Insure: The Biggest Lies Told on Life Insurance Applications
- Insure: Life Insurance Basics
- Business Dictionary: Moral Hazard
- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. "Why You're Not Too Young for Life Insurance." Accessed May 14, 2020.
- Nationwide. "Mortgage Protection Insurance: Use Term Life Insurance to Pay Off a Mortgage." Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
- Federal Trade Commission. "Debts and Deceased Relatives." Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
- Farmers Insurance. "Life Insurance for Small Business." Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
- Mass Mutual. "Buying Life Insurance for Your Parents." Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
- Mutual of Omaha. "Our Solutions for Children's Whole Life Insurance." Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
- Prudential. "How Can Life Insurance Help Manage Taxes in Retirement?" Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
- Allstate. "Life Insurance and Retirement." Accessed Sept. 17, 2020.
Writer Bio
Based out of Kansas City, Mo., James McMillian has been writing business- and insurance-related articles since 2004. His articles have appeared in eHow and Answerbag. McMillian holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.